Greg Pensinger recovered this Freeman Army .44 caliber revolver on private property with permission. It was one of only approximately 2,000 ever manufactured in New York in 1862, and was considered a secondary weapon in the U.S. Civil War.

Greg Pensinger recovered this Freeman Army .44 caliber revolver on private property with permission. It was one of only approximately 2,000 ever manufactured in New York in 1862, and was considered a secondary

Pensinger found this 1894 Midwinter International Expo medallion while on a permission site in San Jose. He and other detectors are notoriously secretive about the whereabouts of their finds.

Pensinger found this 1894 Midwinter International Expo medallion while on a permission site in San Jose. He and other detectors are notoriously secretive about the whereabouts of their finds.

Photo: Greg Pensinger

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The Freeman Army .44 caliber revolver is seen after restoration using electrolysis, a process for removing rust without damaging the base metal. The revolver is on display with a brass bullet mold from the mid- to late 19th century.

The Freeman Army .44 caliber revolver is seen after restoration using electrolysis, a process for removing rust without damaging the base metal. The revolver is on display with a brass bullet mold from the mid-

"My buddy Sam and I answered a call for help from a woman who had lost her ring on the beach in Santa Cruz when she was here for a memorial. After hours of searching, she gave up and went home back to Texas. We heard about the lost ring through our club and went out to look for it. It turned out to be a beautiful platinum ring with a huge center diamond and large accent diamonds. When we called her to tell her we found it, she was bawling tears of joy. We ended up meeting her friend who sent it back to her. She told us it was a $40k ring and gave us a $2k reward for finding it," Pensinger said. less

"My buddy Sam and I answered a call for help from a woman who had lost her ring on the beach in Santa Cruz when she was here for a memorial. After hours of searching, she gave up and went home back to Texas. We ... more

Photo: Greg Pensinger

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Sam Freeman, holding the ring he found at Twin Lakes Beach, Santa Cruz. It was returned to its owner.

Sam Freeman, holding the ring he found at Twin Lakes Beach, Santa Cruz. It was returned to its owner.

Photo: Brian Picard

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Brian Picard, longtime detectorist and president of the Treasure Hunters Society of Santa Clara County found this 1890s Santa Clara county sheriff's badge in the mountains near Watsonville, Calif. Very little is known about who it belonged to or how it was lost.

Brian Picard, longtime detectorist and president of the Treasure Hunters Society of Santa Clara County found this 1890s Santa Clara county sheriff's badge in the mountains near Watsonville, Calif. Very little

Picard also found this 1833 U.S. Army buckle half on one of his hunts. The other half would either have a cross cannon of cross rifle. A very rare military relic, only a few have been reported found in California.

Picard also found this 1833 U.S. Army buckle half on one of his hunts. The other half would either have a cross cannon of cross rifle. A very rare military relic, only a few have been reported found in

Pensinger recovered this inimitable "Good Times Token" at the site of a lumber mill that operated in the late 1800s. Good Times Token were a form of alternative form of currency that emerged in place of regular currency during a large depression.

Pensinger recovered this inimitable "Good Times Token" at the site of a lumber mill that operated in the late 1800s. Good Times Token were a form of alternative form of currency that emerged in place of regular

San Francisco Midwinter Fair 1894, in Golden Gate Park. From the collection of Bob Bragman

San Francisco Midwinter Fair 1894, in Golden Gate Park. From the collection of Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894 in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894 in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park. From the collection of Bob Bragman

San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park. From the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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Breaking ground for the San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894 in Golden Gate Park. From the collection of Bob Bragman

Breaking ground for the San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894 in Golden Gate Park. From the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

The San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894, in Golden Gate Park, from the collection of Bob Bragman

Photo: Bob Bragman

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An accidental treasure hunter: Bay Area man discovers pre-quake and Civil War relics

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Most of his metal-detecting excursions don't prove as fortuitous as this month's, when Greg Pensinger unearthed a 19th century medallion on a permission site in San Jose. Dusk was beginning to capture the light, so it was only when he arrived home and cleaned off his treasure that he began to process its inscription: It was a souvenir from the seminal 1894 Midwinter Expo of San Francisco. He was surprised by how much color — and legibility — it had retained throughout the course of its existence.

Neither Pensinger nor the online troupe of California history buffs who've taken an interest in his find can assess the artifact's significance for certain. Whether it was an award or just a souvenir doesn't really concern Pensinger. He doesn't sell any of his finds; he just detects to decompress.

That seems to be the ethos of the Treasure Hunters Society of Santa Clara County, a club that pretty much follows its title to a T. It's made up of about 50 "hunters" from all around the Bay Area who gather once a month to chat about and marvel at one another's finds.

Pensinger found the medallion on Dec. 2 on the site of what's soon to become a parking lot. The influx of development in San Jose and around the Bay Area has quite the silver lining. He said it's his massive local history book collection of at least 100 that leads him to most spots. He uses online mapping resources to try to pinpoint what the area of his interest could look like now. Then it's up to the current landowners to grant his quest to hunt.

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POV from a cable car traveling east on Market Street toward the San Francisco Ferry Building on April 1, 1906. (Footage by Getty Images)

Media: Prelinger Associates - Footage

If they respond to his cold-calls, or cold-knocks, it can be a treat for the owners, too. He takes great pleasure in sharing the local history with the landowners, who, he said, are usually just as excited to hear about it.

Half the time, his finds don't amount to anything more than modern trash; it's just an excuse to hike up a beautiful landscape. But when they do, he always offers his finds to the landowners first. In the case of the medallion, the owner passed on it.

Depending on your taste, finding any relic from San Francisco's expos can be thrilling. To have found one that preceded the earthquake is even more so; many artifacts were lost in the rubble.

The 1894 Midwinter Expo was spearheaded by The Chronicle's own Michael H. de Young, who was appointed by President Benjamin Harrison to commission Chicago's World Columbian Expo in 1893. While he was there, an idea for California's own version came to him; he saw it as a prime opportunity to boost California's economy, which had been hit hard by a depression.

When he returned, he shared his plans to hold one in Golden Gate Park, a proclamation that angered then-park Superintendent John McLaren, who was quoted as a saying the "damage to the natural setting would take decades to reverse."

Despite McLaren's protests, and with Congress' approval, the Midwinter Fair swept the city into a major global jamboree from Jan. 27 to July 5. Like other expos, it seemed to be equal parts magical and controversial. Zoo-like tours of "ethnological exhibitions" where Samoans, Sioux Indians, Japanese and a host of other ethnic groups performed cultural rituals were available for viewers to gawk at.

Another popular attraction was "Daniel Boone's Wild Animal Show." During one of the lion shows, the lights went out while an attendant, Carlo Thieman, was in the cage. Lanterns were usually lighted to make sure the animals didn't attack in the dark. Soon, audience members heard the sounds of Thieman's screams and calls for helps. Daniel Boone, the main lion trainer for the show, managed to push his way into the cage and beat the lions off, but Thieman ultimately died of his injuries.

Other peculiarities from the expo included "The Haunted Swing," a quintessentially California "Mining Camp," and features that still remain today, such as the Japanese Tea Garden and the de Young Museum.

Now, looking into his rusted medallion, the abundance of these historical yarns isn't lost on Pensinger and his metal-detecting buddies; it's written into the fabric of why they hunt in the first place.

Recently, he discovered another artifact that just about took his breath away: a Freeman Army .44 caliber revolver, one of 2,000 manufactured in New York in 1862 and used in the Civil War. Somehow, it had ended up in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Nearby, he also uncovered 10 stamps inside a tin Gillette box from the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Expo.

"They were in perfect shape," he said. "The box had protected them from all the weather over the past 100 years."

Check out the slideshow above to see other rare finds Pensinger and his friends have found around the Bay Area.